5 Game Jobs - No Experience Necessary

4. Online game GM

Secretive, powerful and surprisingly a lot like you, GMs (short for Game Masters) enjoy one of the most sought-after positions for a hardcore online gamer. Technically referred to as an "In-Game Support Representative," a GM acts as a liason between a game's players and its developers by enforcing game rules, moderating disputes and helping out players who have become hopelessly stuck.

Amazingly, this is not too good to be true. MMO kingpin Blizzard offers paid, full-time GM positions with astoundingly low requirements, although that also means anyone with a computer and a World of Warcraft account could theoretically apply. Which we sincerely hope you just did.

Qualifications: Knowing the ins and outs of online gaming; Able to tolerate enormous amounts of stupid behavior.

Upside: Making money while wandering around an MMO; The simple joy of helping those in need

Downside: You're not really playing the game; The simple pain of dealing with troublemakers

5. Independent Designer

According to aggregate review site Gamerankings, the three highest-rated games thus far in 2008 are Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar Games), Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo), and Braid (Jonathan Blow).

Never heard of him? Why would you? The indie designer's resume isn't exactly littered with hits. In fact, up until his time-warping platform art project won the "Innovation in Game Design" award at the Independent Games Festival in 2006, he was just another face in the crowd. But one critical hit later, and he's the darling of the games press and a shoo-in for a flourishing career in game design.

Okay, so the chances of you stumbling upon an idea as inventive as Braid is slim, but don't let that stop you from trying. User-friendly programs like Flash and Game Maker have enabled scores of would-be designers to turn their concepts into code and enjoy mass distribution via sites like Armor Games and Kongregate. Microsoft has even added community games built using its XNA developer toolkit to Xbox Live Arcade, and while the monetization isn't quite there, the exposure certainly is. It's hard work with few guarantees, but pursuing a career as an independent game designer is no longer a pipe dream.

Qualifications: A vision, lots of spare time, and a ton of untapped talent.

Upside: You control your own destiny...

Downside: ...or at least the part that didn't rack up enormous credit card debt getting your game made.